April 11, 2012

Flirt

Today was Ashlin’s twelve month doctor’s appointment. One year.   We were supposed to go last week, but as she was just getting over Hand Foot and Mouth Disease, we postponed to this week.

Ashlin is now 19 pounds 3 ounces.  Up three ounces from two weeks ago.  Go baby!  So, she’s holding on her 10th percentile.  She’s now 28.5 inches long, hanging out in that 50th percentile.  Head circumference is 46.5 cm, or 80-90th percentile.  She still has a freaking big noggin.

Doctor was happy with her growth and weight.  We needed to remeasure her, as the nurse originally had her at the exact same length as her nine month check up, and I knew she had grown, if only a little bit.  She grew out of the six month pants, although the nine month are still a bit long, they aren’t as long.

Our baby is still a peanut.

The doctor asked if she was walking, drinking milk, using a crayon or pencil, or a spoon or fork.  Um.  Well…  the last time she had a crayon, she ate it.  We haven’t really tried to have her color since then.  And I guess we’re a bit lazy, as we haven’t given her spoons or forks with her food.  I suppose I should ask if day care gives her utensils or not…

Ashlin was not happy during the appointment, we had waited almost an hour to go back and she was tired.  She cried as the doctor examined her, only stopping when I fed her some of the stale goldfish I found in the diaper bag.

So, she’s hitting milestones pretty well, growing pretty well.  Her belly button - umbilical hernia – is something we do need to watch a bit…  but other than that, she’s perfect.

Yay!

She only cried a little bit when she got her shots.

As we left, she waved at the little girl – Sinead – that she made friends with in the waiting room before our appointment.  Nice to know we weren’t the only ones that had a very long wait there today.  Once we got to the car, she immediately fell asleep almost as soon as I had her strapped in her seat.  Before I drove away she started snoring.

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March 26, 2012

Today I had lunch at Jake’s Wayback Burgers.  I had a doctor’s appointment that was right around the corner from one that was freshly opened.

The reason I went to the doctor – the eye doctor – was because the baby shoved her finger in my eye yesterday.  And it hurt.  A lot.  When I woke up this morning  it wasn’t feeling any better.  It was very hard to open and was super sensitive to light.  I was a bit worried that maybe she had scratched it or something.

Google helped me find an optometrist not too far away who was able to fit me in today.  Turns out that Ashlin hadn’t scratched my eye, but there was trauma.  He prescribed an antibiotic and cortisone drop, and after two doses my eye felt much better.  It was also much less red.  Added bonus of the eye drops is that my vision seems much better, almost back to normal.  It had been blurry since being pregnant with Ashlin.  Same thing happened with Teagan, and it eventually got better. You gotta love the weird pregnancy side effects.  Some of the reason my vision is still a bit blurry so far out from Ashlin’s birth is due to the sleepless nights.  Yay dry eye.

Anyway, my treat was to go to Jake’s.  It was lovely.  I got a black and white milkshake, a small fry and a cheese burger.  The burger was wrapped in butcher grease paper.  The fries were served in a cup.  The milkshake was so thick it wouldn’t go up the straw, which flattened as I tried.  Very lovely.  The fries and burger were pretty good, much better than Micky D’s.  Maybe not as good as Five Guys, but damn, totally hit the spot.

I could go for another milkshake.  Soon.

January 26, 2012

It’s an ear infection.  My poor baby.  Her first ear infection.

I ended up calling the doctor today, and spoke with the nurse.  She was still out of sorts, not really eating, sleeping a lot, snotty, breathing rapidly and her fever never really responded to tylenol.  Just wanted to cuddle up close.  The nurse mentioned that it may be a good idea to bring her in, just to check that her lungs were clear, that the croup episode she had would leave her more susceptible to pneumonia and other lung issues.  Great.  One more thing to worry about.

Anyway, her lungs were ok.  Her ears were not.  According to the nurse, one ear is very bad, and the other would have been by tomorrow.  She said we would have been bringing her in tomorrow.

I felt horrible. I really wasn’t planning on bringing her to the doctor, until the suggestion that she may have breathing trouble.  I didn’t want to mess with any type of breathing trouble.   She hadn’t been exhibiting any signs of an ear infection, not really cranky or tugging on her ear, or crying when laid down.  And fevers aren’t necessarily bad in babies.  I was more inclined to give her pain relief for teeth that were taking for.ever to break through than for a fever.  Well, one that’s not too high.

So, amoxicillin.  Her first time on amoxicillin.  She didn’t really mind her first dose – I had put it in the fridge as soon as we got home.  She’s beaten the day care odds though.  Ten months old and this is her first ear infection.  Most kids have at least two or more by now.  Her sister had one by the time she was 5 months old.

I hope she feels better tomorrow.  Or at least isn’t the little furnace that she has been these past two days.

 

January 3, 2012

What's in here?

Today we had Ashlin’s nine month well-baby visit.  She is going great! Doctor was pleased with her, her weight gain, milestone progress.

Ashlin now weighs in at 17 pounds, up from 14 pounds at six months.  Up from the 10th percentile to something “between 10th and 20th percentiles” according to the doctor.  But, she was happy with that gain.  No need to test poopy diapers, feed the baby butter, or make her eat in the middle of the night, or really worry much more.  Yes, she’s small, but she’s gained enough weight to not worry about failure to thrive.  That’s so good to hear!  I blame it on the macaroni and cheese, and the french toast, and the sausage casserole, and the lasagna.

The rest of the stats were good.  Height is now 27.75 inches, up from 25.25 inches, but holding at 50th percentile.  She has a big noggin, 46 cm (90th percentile) up from 43.6 cm (75th).

So, good visit.  Whew!

As you can see, she’s getting into things, even though she’s not crawling yet.  She still can move around in her space.  She can’t be deterred, she wants go explore.

November 22, 2011

Teagan had her 30 month doctor’s appointment today.  She did great!  Now officially weights 30 pounds and is 35 inches tall.  That puts her around the 50th percentile for weight and 40th for height.  Like her sister, she dropped off her weight curve.  And yesterday, Stu did comment that she seemed a “skinny thing.”

Other than the weight drop, the doctor was pretty pleased with her.  Teagan didn’t freak out when the doctor tried to listen to her heart and lungs.  She even let Teagan listen after she was done, as Teagan did ask very nicely with a please.  Teagan showed off her vocabulary, color and shape knowledge as well as her lack of coordination by bumping into the sink several times.

She totally rocked her flu shot, not crying, but giving a few sniffs  as the band-aid went on.  Though if you ask her, Teagan will say she “cried a little bit.”

We were reminded that Teagan was supposed to have some blood work done at 2 years.  Oops.  Stu had tried to bring her to a lab in town, but they didn’t have an extra nurse, so didn’t do toddler blood drawings.  You need two people to hold the baby down while one draws the blood.  So, we ended up going to the lab two doors down from the doctor’s office.  Yay.

At the lab, we got brought in quickly, there was only one person waiting when we got there.  The phlebotomist showed me how to hold Teagan, and the nurse helped.  They tried to get a vein on her right arm, but after digging around for a minute, failed.  Teagan did so good for most of that, but started whimpering at the end.  I felt horrible watching them push the needle in and around trying to get a good vein.  I told Teagan that she was a very brave girl, and did a wonderful job.  The other lady tried her left arm, distracting her as they probed around, but again, wasn’t able to get a good vein.  This time took a bit longer, with a bit more digging.  Teagan was really crying by the end of that attempt.  One lady gave her some water and tried to make small talk, asking what her favorite show was,  if she had a sibling, what her name was, how old…

Third time was a charm.  Teagan, cried, but didn’t fight and was really a trooper.  Both ladies felt bad that they weren’t able to get the vials the first time, nor the second time.  Third was the last attempt.  They gave her three stickers!  Well deserved stickers too.

I felt horrible putting her through all that.  Three sticks, after a shot.  Ugh.  My brave baby.

October 21, 2011

Sick? Me?

Does this look like a sick baby? No? The doctor didn’t think so either.

The fact that the peanut has only gained 3oz in just over two weeks helped her take me seriously.  (She should have gained about 10oz).  To be fair, she didn’t think I was making it up, just that Ashlin was in too good a mood, was too happy to have been, or to still be, sick.

So, her weight gain isn’t good.  Her vomiting episodes are not good.  The fact that there was yellow-green vomit at the end was definitely not good.  She doesn’t think it’s food related, or more specifically an allergy or intolerance.  The doctor threw out possible diagnoses of reflux, pyloric stenosis and malrotation.

I really don’t think it’s reflux, she vomits hours after eating/nursing, not immediately.  It smells like vomit, not spit up.  She’s not in pain from it, she’s more scared about what is happening.  She can’t hold her head up for about a minute while she’s throwing up, then all she wants is to snuggle close.  She wants to be held, not put down.

I don’t think the doctor thinks it’s reflux either.  The other two options she mentioned aren’t very exciting.  They both mean surgery.  I don’t want surgery for my little peanut.   But more than I don’t want that, I do want her to be happy, healthy.

So, we need to watch and document.  If she vomits again, then note down the time and frequency, as well as what I eat, for possible connections.  Look for anything that could be a cause.  We go back in just about 2 weeks.

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October 4, 2011

Maybe she should nom on more than just Sophie?

Today was Ashlin’s six month doctor’s appointment.  She’s been a happy baby, nursing well, giggling, growing.  Finally taking bottles in day care, well, sort of anyway.  I knew she’d be getting some shots (poor baby!), but I wasn’t too worried, as she was doing better at day care, seemed to be growing, hitting milestones – sitting up, transferring objects from one hand to another, jumping.  I probably should have been though.  She’s fallen off her weight curve.  Again.

At her four month appointment she had dipped a bit off her curve, even though she had gained weight.  It was only a 1.4lb gain, enough to go from 50th percentile to 15th percentile.  In and of itself, nothing major.  She did gain, she grew, she was aware and energetic.  Happy.  Eating.

Nom nom Mum mum nom!

This time, she has gained 2lbs in 2 months.  So more than between 2 and 4 month visits.  But now she’s in the 10th percentile.  She’s still happy, still hitting milestones, still growing.  But now they want to keep a closer eye on it.  We need to go back in a few weeks for a weight check.

She did pretty well with her shots – all four! Did her Billy Idol impression and cried loudly for about a minute, then sighed, and snuggled in to me.  Although not interested in nursing there, she did once we got  home and napped.

When she woke up, she got a mum mum.  Well, two.  She really likes them :)

Played.  Nursed. Slept, with a glowing seahorse for comfort.

August 1, 2011

Today was Ashlin’s four month doctor’s appointment.  She’s doing great!  Hitting milestones, being a good little eater and sleeper.  It’s always nice having someone tell you that things are good, that she’s good.

Her stats:

• Height: 24.25 inches / 50th Percentile
• Weight: 12 lbs 8 oz / 25th Percentile
• Head circumference: 42.1cm / 75th Percentile

The doctor was quite pleased with how well she’s doing.  Said that she should grow into her clicky knee, that the click should go away.  That we do need to work on her taking a bottle.  (I knew that we did.  I kinda didn’t want to think about it yet, as it means that she will be going into day care.  Yes, Yes.  I know she is).

We also need to pay attention to her “pissed off” rash, the one she gets on her lower legs after she gets really pissed off being off her routine.  This happened on Saturday – her nap and feeding schedule was off about an hour or so – she melted down.  Turned purple.  And her lower legs broke out in the pin point type rash.  Like on Father’s day at my parents house.  Two days after the episode, the doctor said that it didn’t look like a “normal” rash.  So, if we notice it any other time then after an episode, we need to let them know.  She may need blood tests and stuff.

But for now, she’s good!

 

~

PS.  Ultrasound of the boob Friday shows no abscess.  Yay!  The mastitis is still there, so I’m back on antibiotics for another 5 days.

PPS.  Updated the Teagan’s Tunes.  I’ll need to start one for Ashlin, eventually.  Once she stops trying to blow raspberries and notices music.

May 25, 2011

Today was Teagan’s Two  Year Doctor’s appointment.  First appointment with the new practice, well, for her anyway.  Ashlin has seen these doctors several times already.  First time I get to go out with both girls.  Yikes!!

When I picked her up at day care, Teagan was in a deep sleep – it was nap time.  Silly me, I made her appointment, I didn’t think about nap times.  I will in the future.  By the time we got to the doctor’s office, Teagan was awake, singing in the back seat, asking if we were “done” yet.

Ashlin gets put in the stroller frame, Teagan gets her backpack with leash, just in case.  I ask her to hold my hand while we walk across the parking lot.  She’s usually good about holding hands when we’re out, but with Ashlin there, I didn’t want to take any chances.  How do you chose who to run after?

Once we got into the exam room, Teagan went all quiet and shy.  She did not want to let the doctor listen to her heart, nor examine her ears, or look at her teeth.  We were able to get her to cooperate enough to check her ears – no infection!  Teeth, well, maybe next time.  I mentioned how the top molars had broken through, and the lower left was in the process of erupting.  No clue about the lower right.

The Doctor asked about eating habits (very good), sleeping (also usually good), vocabulary and speech (pretty good, lots of words, 3-4 word sentences), car seat position (still rear, though she said we may want to turn her around soon.  I said that we’d probably keep her rear facing until she was either too heavy or too ornery).  She asked if there were any concerns, asked about the ear infections, but as we hadn’t had any in a while, she let that go.  For now.  Tubes will come up again, I’m sure.

While the doctor was asking all these questions, Teagan was wandering around the room, poking at things, playing with the books and toys.  Going up to the doctor and pointing to her laptop.  Very relaxed.  Teagan mentioned how dada had a computer too – “like dada,” and “dada have” – and started touching the back of the case, like she does at home.  She then touched the side, right where the power button was and turned off the doctor’s laptop!  LOL!  I apologized, mentioning that she’s done that to Stu’s laptop more times than she should have.

Imagine the ball is a laptop

I did mention about how we found a tick on Teagan – in her hair line – the other day.  That we were pretty sure it hadn’t been on her for more than 24 hours, it wasn’t engorged. We need to keep an eye on the site, and if there’s a rash, they would have her tested and then treated.  They don’t do prophylactic treatment on toddlers, which I agree with.  Why give medication if it’s not needed?

Teagan followed the doctor out of the room as she left, before the PA came in to give her the shot.  Well, the doc left the door open.  Teagan decided that she would go into the open rooms and say “hi!” to everyone.  I wrangle  her back and she got her shot like a champ!  Very few tears, that dried up quickly.  As usual.

So, she’s about 28-29 pounds (she wriggled on the scale, so we didn’t get a very accurate measurement) and 34 inches tall.  Doctor was pleased with how she looked and acted.  We have to go have a blood draw in the next week or so.  Fun.  (I’ve asked Stu to take her, I don’t know if I can handle her during that).  Then another appointment in six months.

Ashlin cried most of the visit.  Fun.

But I did survive taking the two out.  Alone.  Yay me!

April 5, 2011

Today was Ashlin’s first doctor visit.  We were late.  Of course.  I needed to nurse her before we left, and she decided that she’d dilly dally and not be the chap nurser that she’s been the past day or so.  Oh well.  We were late.

The appointment went well.  She’s gained 5oz since discharge, which is good for a breastfed baby.  She’s not grown, though her head has shrunk (just an eight of an inch).  Doc said she looked wonderful.  Little jaundice, but not enough to worry about.  I knew I wasn’t crazy when I said I thought she had a slightly yellow tint.

The only thing that was a bit concerning, and even then not really, was that we need to retest her blood from the PKU.  Her results came back as high for thyroid.  Doctor said that the range they put in is very large, so there are lots of false positives.  He doesn’t think there’s anything to worry about.  But the results should be back by Friday.

We should also hear sometime this week about setting up the ultrasound for the hip dysplasia.  The doctor today thinks the clicking I feel/hear is coming from her knee, not her hip.  It made me feel good that I wasn’t dismissed,  but listened to.  He gave me a very possible alternative – and hey, what do I know?  I just know I hear/feel something when I change her diaper.  Something.

~~~

Teagan was in a funny mood tonight once she got home from day care.  She caught her finger on one of the gates, and was nearly inconsolable.  I asked if she wanted to sit on my lap and have me look at it.  She said she did.  So, once I got settled, mom put her in my lap.  She sat there a minute or so, we had a snuggle, and then she was better.

Dinner, could be considered a disaster.  Not total, but very nearly.  Mom had made dinner, and pulled some aside to cool for Teagan.  Stu got her settled in her chair, and then went to put her bib on.  She wanted nothing to do with her bib.   She was like that last night too, but I didn’t think much of it.

Anyway, she was just prickly through the dinner.  Didn’t want the food, wanted the food, threw a bit, played with a bit.  Tried to make us laugh.  (We totally need to stop her trying to “entertain” at mealtime).

Since she was “all dun” with her chicken, she handed me the plate, and me not being able to lean over far enough barely touched the bowl as she let go, and it fell on the floor.  If I had been able to lean over, I would have had a better grip.  And then I can’t clean it up.  Frustrating for both her and me.  And my wonderful family that have to pick up the slack for me.  (Can you tell I’m tired of not being 100%?  Even 60% would be better.  I know I’m getting there though).

As she needed to have something to eat, I offered her some cheerios and string cheese.  Teagan said that would be acceptable.  LOL.  Mom wanted to give her some left over Chinese, some left over manicotti, something else.   I do not want to get in the habit of short oder cooking for her, so if she’s not going to eat dinner with us, she can have an easy alternative – o’s and cheese.  If I was more healed, I would have offered her some yogurt, but I didn’t have the strength to mix the fruit in.

She was eating her string cheese, again, trying to make us laugh, and got a piece stuck in her throat.  She was able to pull it out.  But then she did it again.  On purpose.  This time, she ended up gagging and throwing up a little bit.  I don’t think she expected that to happen.

Strawberries were a hit, as they always are.  She can’t get enough of them.  LOL.  Dinner ended well.  Bedtime was a different story.  It was almost like Sybill had taken over.

Maybe she’s over tired, maybe she’s just reacting to having her world turned upside down.  Hopefully we’ll get our sweet girl (who’s gotten so big!) back all the time, soon.